FicWad

"I can't believe someone is moving into the old house on Noir Hill." Kelly Wakefield stated, peering out of the kitchen window. She watched as a moving van pulled up into the long, winding driveway and came to a sudden stop.

The house on Noir Hill was old. Very old. Nobody knew exactly how old, but it was a Gothic Queen Anne's, complete with a widow's walk and belfry.

Rumor was that the house was haunted, and had once been a hotbed for much demonic activity. Of course, like anything else in Shadow Creek, it was all rumor.

Or so Kelly believed. The old woman who owned it--Bella Noir--had mysteriously died by fire a few weeks ago.

"People are moving in next door?" Nina, her older by two years sister, asked as she walked into the kitchen.

She peered out the window as well, grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl and taking a bite. "Good god, it's about time. I'd love to have some neighbors who aren't....well, like Ashley Kip."

"Yeah, well they're moving their stuff." Kelly said. "I guess it'll be nice to have new neighbors, so we don't feel so alone out here in Shadow Compound." .

Nina took another bite of the apple and grabbed her purse. "Sure." She said. She peered over Kelly's shoulder out the window. "I hope that they have a son. A really hot son." She added with a licentious grin. Kelly shook her head at her sister, but smiled. It wouldn't be so bad if they had two, she thought.

A few moments later, a long black hearse drove up. Both sisters watched in silence as a tall, rail thin and very pale man dressed in black butler's livery.

"A hearse?" Nina asked with a startled gasp. "What do they do, dig up graves?"

"Maybe the new neighbor is an undertaker." Kelly suggested.

The two sisters watched as the butler walked to the back of the hearse. He opened the hearse's back door, and motioned to the movers. Neither sister said anything as they watched three long, black coffins being carried into Noir Manor.

Kelly finally broke the silence. "Well." She said, trying to get her words to come out light-hearted. "There's something you don't see every day."

~~~

Kelly lifted the lid off the garbage can later, and tossed the heavy bag in it. She closed the lid and looked up at the Mansion. Slowly, the new neighbors had moved all of their belongings in. The girl's mother had been watching daily with the neighbor across from them.

Kelly felt her skin become gooseflesh and wondered why a French family would move into such a whole in the wall town like Shadow Creek. Was it just because of Bella Noir's death? Did she leave them Noir Manor? As she watched the front door to Noir Manor opened. Ashley Kip, a stunned look on her face was being lead down the walkway by none other than Pierre Noir himself.

Pierre was a dashing man in his late thirties, blond. But his blond hair was unlike any kind that Kelly had seen before. It was a bright, sun-gold blond, very beautiful. He had sparkling emerald green eyes, and held himself with an air of elegance. She had not yet seen his wife, Monique, but was told by the girls at Curl up that she was simply stunning. Like Morticia, but beautiful.

Pierre and Monique had two kids, twins. Elisabeth and Luc. Only, no one had seen them yet, either. It made Kelly nervous and she didn't know why. New neighbors should be a good thing. When the Noir twins enrolled, nobody would leave them alone at school. At least for a few weeks.

Kelly watched as Ashley and Pierre walked down. Ashley looked dazed, and unsure of where she was. Pierre guided her by the elbow, talking to her softly, in a clipped French accent. She noticed that there was some kind of mark on Ashley's neck, but she couldn't be sure. As they passed, she felt something...odd.

Pierre gazed at her for a long moment, his emerald eyes burning into hers. He studied her with intensity, and then smiled and nodded at her. Kelly couldn't shake the feeling that Pierre gave her. It was like...like he knew all of her secrets and then some. The gooseflesh on her skin intensified and she hurried back into her house, where she could finally feel safe.

Kelly peeked out the window, but all she saw was Pierre leading Ashley Kip to her house. Ashley let him in; he stayed a moment. Kelly watched as Pierre almost floated out of the house. He paused by her own home and stared directly at her.

Kelly let the curtain drop, shaking all over. "Creep." She mumbled.

~*~

"And did you escort Miss Kip home, mon Cherie?" Monique asked as Pierre walked into Noir Manor a few moments later. She was sitting on a black chaise lounge, stretched out in a black lacey dress with a sweetheart neckline. Pierre thought she looked divine as usual, too good to be true.

"Mmm. I did, darling. After all, I have to keep up neighborly gestures, don't I?" Pierre asked.

Monique lifted a frosted glass flute to her lips. Inside of it was a dark red liquid, that looked like wine but he knew better. "If it matters...she tastes divine. I love this little town, Pierre. I think we are going to have much fun here."

Pierre walked over to his wife and took the glass from her, taking a sip. "Positive O." He mused thoughtfully. "Yes, she does taste divine, doesn't she? I think all the people of Shadow Creek will fall to our spell. This should be...easy, my love."

"Oui." Monique agreed with a laugh. "I can not wait to meet the rest of the villagers here. We shall...paint the town red, n'est ce' pa?"

Pierre nodded. "As it should be." He agreed. He leaned down to kiss Monique, tasting the fresh blood on her lips. Combined with her own taste, it was positively divine. Heaven. Or Hell, whichever you would prefer. "We won't have any problems settling down."

Pierre called for the butler, demanding a glass of what Monique had. A moment later, Jean brought it out. Pierre sipped it, swishing it around the glass. "Yes, we shall have a lovely time." He agreed.

Monique held her glass up. Pierre clicked it against hers. "Forever." She said.

"Forever." He echoed.

~FIN~